Dirt Calculator
Use the Dirt Calculator above to turn your measurements into an estimated amount of dirt in cubic yards, cubic feet, and tons. Instead of trying to picture a pile of soil and guessing how much you need, you can start with the dimensions of the space you’re filling and let the calculator do the volume calculation for you.
Dirt Calculator
Estimate the amount of dirt, soil, or fill material you need. Calculate cubic yards, cubic feet, cubic meters, and an approximate weight in tons.
Enter your measurements
Rectangular areaYour estimated material
Live estimateCalculation breakdown
One cubic yard
One cubic yard contains 27 cubic feet of material. That's why cubic feet are divided by 27 to find cubic yards.
Depth matters
Increasing the depth increases the amount of dirt required even when the surface area stays exactly the same.
Weight is an estimate
Dirt weight varies with soil type and moisture. Use your supplier's density whenever an accurate tonnage estimate is important.
How Much Dirt Do I Need?
The easiest way to think about a dirt order is:
Area × depth = volume
For a rectangular area, measure:
- Length
- Width
- Depth
You can enter the measurements into the calculator to determine the approximate volume of dirt required.
For example, imagine you are filling an area that is:
20 ft × 15 ft × 6 inches deep
First convert 6 inches to 0.5 feet.
Then:
20 × 15 × 0.5 = 150 cubic feet
Because one cubic yard contains 27 cubic feet:
150 ÷ 27 = 5.56 cubic yards
So the basic volume requirement is approximately 5.56 cubic yards of dirt.
The actual amount you order may need to be somewhat higher depending on the material, compaction, grading, and how accurately the area was measured.
Dirt Calculator at a Glance
This calculator is useful when you’re trying to estimate material for:
Garden beds
Calculate the soil needed to fill a new or existing planting area.
Lawn preparation
Estimate soil or fill needed before establishing a lawn.
Low spots and uneven areas
Work out approximately how much material is required to bring an area closer to grade.
Landscaping projects
Estimate bulk material before contacting a soil or landscaping supplier.
Raised beds and planters
Calculate the volume required based on the inside dimensions of the bed.
General fill work
Estimate the amount of dirt needed to fill an excavation or build up an area.
How the Dirt Calculator Works
There are really only a few steps.
1. Measure the area
Measure the length and width of the space you want to fill.
For a rectangular area, this is straightforward.
If your space isn’t rectangular, don’t worry. You can divide an irregular area into several smaller rectangles, calculate each section separately, and add the results together.
2. Decide on the depth
Determine how deep you want the dirt to be.
This is often the measurement people underestimate.
A 2-inch layer and a 10-inch layer might cover exactly the same area, but the second requires five times as much volume.
3. Enter your measurements
Enter the length, width, and depth into the calculator.
The tool converts the measurements into a volume that can be expressed in cubic feet and cubic yards.
4. Use the result when ordering
Bulk soil and dirt are commonly quoted by volume, particularly in cubic yards.
The calculator gives you a starting point for discussing your requirements with a supplier.
Dirt Calculator Formula
For a rectangular area, the basic volume formula is:
Volume = Length × Width × Depth
When length and width are measured in feet and depth is measured in inches:
Cubic feet = Length × Width × (Depth ÷ 12)
To convert cubic feet into cubic yards:
Cubic yards = Cubic feet ÷ 27
So the complete formula becomes:
Cubic yards = Length × Width × (Depth ÷ 12) ÷ 27
The reason for dividing by 27 is simple: one cubic yard is a cube measuring 3 feet on every side.
3 × 3 × 3 = 27 cubic feet
Don't Forget About Settling and Compaction
A calculator can give you the volume represented by your measurements, but a pile of loose dirt doesn’t necessarily remain at exactly the same volume after it is placed.
Soil can settle, be compacted, or be moved around while the project is being graded. The amount of change depends heavily on the material and how it is placed.
This is particularly important when you’re using fill dirt for grading or filling a deeper space.
For a simple landscaping project, you may want to discuss the expected settling or recommended allowance with your supplier before placing a large order.
There isn’t one universal percentage that works for every dirt project. Soil composition, moisture, compaction and installation method all affect the final result. Soil bulk density itself varies with texture, organic matter and how tightly the particles are packed.
In other words: don’t treat the calculator’s result as a guaranteed truckload specification. Treat it as a planning estimate.
Dirt vs. Topsoil: They're Not Always the Same
The words dirt, soil, and topsoil are sometimes used interchangeably, but they can describe very different materials.
Fill dirt
Fill dirt is generally used where the main objective is to fill, raise, or shape an area rather than grow plants.
It can be useful for:
- Filling holes
- Raising low areas
- Building up grades
- Backfilling
- Supporting certain landscaping or construction work
Topsoil
Topsoil is intended primarily for growing plants and landscaping.
It may be used for:
- Garden beds
- Lawn establishment
- Planting areas
- Landscaping
- Replacing or improving the upper layer of soil
Garden soil and soil mixes
Garden products can contain amendments, compost, organic matter, or other ingredients and may have very different densities from ordinary fill dirt.
That’s why a cubic yard of one material shouldn’t automatically be assumed to weigh the same as a cubic yard of another.
How Many Cubic Yards of Dirt Do I Need?
Here’s a quick reference using a rectangular area.
| Area | Depth | Approx. Dirt Needed |
|---|---|---|
| 100 sq ft | 2 in | 0.62 yd³ |
| 100 sq ft | 4 in | 1.23 yd³ |
| 100 sq ft | 6 in | 1.85 yd³ |
| 500 sq ft | 2 in | 3.09 yd³ |
| 500 sq ft | 4 in | 6.17 yd³ |
| 500 sq ft | 6 in | 9.26 yd³ |
| 1,000 sq ft | 2 in | 6.17 yd³ |
| 1,000 sq ft | 4 in | 12.35 yd³ |
| 1,000 sq ft | 6 in | 18.52 yd³ |
These are volume calculations, not guarantees of how much material you should purchase. Your actual order can change depending on settling, grading and the type of dirt.